A distant Firefight (Gus & Vulba)

-*A boom echoes out in the distance, the horizon briefly floods with a flash of orange and white. The distant explosion briefly glimmers off of rain-soaked vegetation before the night rushes to snuff the light again.*-

Vulba: "The navy keeps getting closer, you know."

Gus: "And they'll keep on missing. The western ocean is too far out for them to be accurate."

*Gus crosses his arms, his eyebrows squared with his gaze fixed on the starlit horizon.*

-*Another boom echoes out, briefly backlighting the silhouettes of skyscraper-sized War-Walkers in the far, far distance.*-

*Vulba shuffles against the ground, gradually pulling her Fleabag up further. She looked up at Gus.*

Vulba: "Well. You going to play sentry all night? Or get some sleep? Big day tomorrow."

*Gus huffed, adjusting the comically oversized rifle on his back.*

Gus: "Darko can say what he wants, but there's no way the D.C. will make it to the Megacity without some kind of Overwatch."

Vulba: "Are you saying it's a bad idea?"

*Gus turned around, arms at his sides.*

-*Another explosion backlit the scenery. The rain picked up slightly.*-

Gus: "I've been saying it's a bad idea. He just doesn't listen. I grew up in the Megacity. That place is a fortress, inside and out."

Vulba: "What? You really think Darko is going to blindly rush the Wallgrounds with a few tanks? He's taking a single Ripwheel. Not an armor-group of H.O.T's" *Vulba cocked her head up, raising a single eyebrow.*

Gus: "He's going to die."

Vulba: "He's survived worse odds." *Vulba relaxed her face.*

*Gus crossed his arms and scoffed, turning back to the horizon. He unslung the massive rifle and set it on the ground in a single, smooth motion.*

Vulba: "...At least you know your baby, now."

Gus: "It's a rifle... Not a person."

Vulba: "With how intensively you designed these things, I'm surprised you treat them like objects." *Vulba brought her arm out from her Fleabag and patted her own rifle; A .90cal Mass-Driver integrated directly into a well-used and well-kept Gauss-Powered Toothsword.*

-*Another explosion lit the horizon, far from the War-Walkers.*-

*Gus pulled a clean rag from his back-pocket, not bothering to turn around.*

*Vulba withdrew her arm and partially pulled the Fleabag's edge over her face, sulking.*

Gus: "You rest up first. I'll wake you in an hour or two..."

-*Another distant explosion rolled across the Southern Badlands' landscape...*-

Vulba: "...Goodnight, Gus."

Gus: "Goodnight, Vulba."